Telegraph instrument



TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT if! f7 5 54 3y INVENTOR.

vPatented Oct. 13, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J'. GREG-AN, OFEAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

TELEGBAPB'. INSTRUMENT.

Application led February 11, 1924. Serial' No. 691,901.`

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. GHEGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Grange, county of Essex, and State of 5 New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Telegraph Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a telegraph instrument adapted for general receiving and transmitting purposes, the invention being particularly useful as an auxiliary sender adapted to be associated with the conventional key to facilitate ra id transmission of signals, usually in the orse code. The invention resides particularly in improvements'on the structure described and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,140,151 of May 18th, 1915, and through these improvements amuch simpler, more economical and better instru- 20 ment is produced both from the standpoint of the operator and from the standpoint of the signals transmitted.

In instruments of this general character, it is the practice to employ a manually' operable vibrator controlled by a finger piece. In prior constructions, this vibrator has, in many instances, its own particular mounting and is operated upon by the finger piece through the intermediary of a lever or other suitable mechanism whereby movements of the vibrator in corresponding relation to the Signals to be transmitted is accomplished. In other cases where the vibrator is carried by the finger piece lever, the construction is complicated and costly and includes numerous o rating parts which require careful assem ly and accurate balancing.

In the present invention, the vibrator is ,carried directly on the member which also ,carries the finger piece so that the intermediate mechanism heretofore employed is entirely dispensed with and the structure is greatly lightened and simplified so as to produce a more snappy and rapid action devoid of lost motion and far more economical to manufacture.

This I accomplish by pivoting an operating lever intermediate its ends and mounting a finger piece on one end'of the lever and a relatively long leaf spring on the other end thereof. This leaf spring constitutes the vibrator, and, while provided with a suit- -sion of dots in the Morse code.

able weight at its end, is'unencumbered by bars, sliding weights and other adjuncts considered necessary under prior practice. In other words, said leaf sprlng extends all the way from the end of the operating lever to the back stop at which vpoint the weight is mounted so as to directly cooperate with the back stop. This gives avery simple construction and one having a very snappy action.

Another feature of the invention resides in associating with the leaf spring vibrator, a supplemental leaf spring carrylng a con tact positioned substantially in the longitudinal medial line of thevibrator and which contact is adapted to vyield as the circuit is completed through the instrument upon operation of the finger piece in an appropriate direction and thus maintain an efficient contact without imposing twisting strains on the vibrator during the transmis- By these improvements and others, which will be apparent from the followin detailed description, accompanying drawings and a pended claims, I produce an instrument o simple and economical construction, capable of sending at a greater speed than heretofore possible.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein illustrated is to be considered as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the" invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an instrument embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the instrument.

Figure 3 is a section'on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. a

Figure 4 is a section through the vibrator taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and,

Figure 5 is a wiring diagram of the instrument.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designatesv a suitable base on which a metal plate 2, preferably of brass, is securedv by means of screws 3. Mounted on the plate 2 are two binding posts 4 and 5, the former of which is insulated from the plate b means of an insulating washer 6 and a suitable bushing,

while the latter binding post is grounded shown best in Figure 3, is shown as tapered at its opposite ends, the lower end resting in a tapered seat in thelower portion of the in Figure 1 of the bracket while the upper end is received in a holev in the lower end of an adjusting screw 12 provided with 4a lock nut 13 by means of which proper adjustment may be maintained so as to preclude lost motion.

In lieu of the tapered ends, the arbor may, however, have long bearings in the brackets such as are common in sending instruments.

Rigidly fixed on the spindle or arbor 11 is an'operatin arm or lever 14, which ex-- tends longitudinally of the plate and to the outer end of which arm is directly alixed a finger piece 15. The inner end lof the arm is vertically bifurcated or slotted at 16 and in this `lslot is seated one end of a Vibrator 17, which, in practice is in the form of a long whlch4 extends into the slot 16 is rigidly secured in place therein by means of a or screw, so that there will be a rigid union betweenjthe vibrator and the operating arm.

To the distant end of the vibrator is aiiixed a weight 18,` one face of which is provided with a recess or pocket in which is seated a cork or other cushioning insert 19.

The bracket 9 is provided with a supporting arm 20, which extends from one side of Vthe bracket above vand longitudinally of the plate 1 and this supporting arm is provided with two tapped holes through which two screws 21 and 22 are threaded.

The inner end of the screw 21 bears against the spring 23, the o posite end of which bears against the vibrator 17I and forces it in the direction to cause the cushioning insert 19 to normally engage with the end of an adjusting screw 24 carried by a post 25 and provided with a locknut 26 to maintain proper adjustment. vThe post 25 is mounted on'the late and is best shown rawings. It is not a current carrying element but merely serves as a back stop for the vibrator when the latter is in normal osition and under the inuence of the spring 23. Adjustment of the s rin 23 is maintained by a lock nut 27 associate with the adjusting screw 21.

The transmitter terminal screws are shown at 28 and 29, these screws being threaded through posts 30 and 31 mountedA on. the plate. Both of the posts 3.0 and 31 are msulated from the plate by means of suitable insulating bushings and washers,

but are conected with the binding post 4 leaf spring. The end of the vibratorl pin y by wires or straps 32y positioned on the under side of the plate and housed within the base 1 in concealed position. These wiring connections are clearly shown in Figure 1 and in the wiring diagram of Figure 5. Each terminal screw is provided 4at its free endwitha suitable contact, the

contactof the screw 28 beingy designated 33 and that yof the screw 32 being designated 34. These contacts maybe locked in proper adjustment by means of the lock nuts 35 and 36, associated with the respective terminal screws.

The contact 33 is adapted for cooperation with a contact 37 carried by the operating arm 14, while the contact 34 is adapted for cooperation with a contact 38 carried by the vibrator. by a leaf spring 39 which extends longitudinally of the vibrator and is secured thereto by`means of rivets 40, as shown best in Figures 1 and 4. The leaf spring 39 is made long enough to embody sufficient resiliency to properly function and the contact 38 projects through a hole 41 positioned in the medial line of the vibrator, so that the leaf spring 39 is-normally in face abutting relation with the vibrator as is'clearly apparent from Fi ure 4 with the Contact 38 pro'ecting well eyond the op- This contact 38A is carried posite lside of t e vibrator and in alinement with the terminal contact 34.

The -parts are adjusted through manipulation of the adjusting screws 24 and 2l so that the vibrator will normally partake of a neutral position Ileaving gaps between the contacts 34 and 38 and between the contacts 33 and 37. y

In the transmission of signals of the Morse code, the movement of the linger p iece 15 in the direction indicated by the slngle arrow in Figure -1 will cause the vibrator to be flexed sufliciently to permit the contact 37 to engage the terminal contact 33 and effect the sending of dashes. For sending dots the finger piece 15 is `sharply impelled in the direction indicated by the double arrow of Figure 1. with the`result that the Weight 18 is disengaged from the back stop 24 and the contact 39 forcibly engaged with the terminal contact 34. As soon as this operation occurs, the vibrator will be put into vibration and the transmission of dots will occur. 4

It is to be noted that, the oscillation of the vibrator 17 in the direction of the contact 34 will first engage the contact 38 with the contact 34 and then flex the leaf spring 39 until said oscillation of the vibrator is completed in said direction, As the vibrator oscillates in the opposite direction, the contact 38 will remain engaged with the Contact 34 for a very short interval or until the vibrator again comes into face abutting relation to the leaf spring 39, whereupon the contacts will be separated. It will thusbe apparent that by virtue of the employment of the separate leaf spring that a relatively longer period of contact will result. Moreover by having the contact 38 positioned in the medial line of the vibrator, all twisting. strains are obviated and the direct thrust of the leaf springs 17 and 39 on the contact 38 insures a positive pressure during. periods of engagement with contact 34, so that a positive electrical connection is effected.

- The adjusting screw 22 which I have referred to acts as a stop against the pressure of the operators finger during the act of transmitting dots and precludes the finger piece from overtraveling. A lock nut 42 permits a locking of the screw 22 in proper adjustment.

When signals are to be received, the receiving switch 43 pivoted at 44 on the plate 2, and electrically connected therewith, is swung into the full line position shown in Figure 1, where it will be engaged between knife blade leaves 45 associated with the v terminal post in the usual manner. As

receiving 7will be clearly apparent to those A skilled in the art from Figure 5. So long as the receiving switch 43 is opened, the

circuit can be completed only through en` gagement of the contacts 37 and 38 with the terminal contacts 33 and 34. The vibrator is mounted on the plate 2 and is thus electrically connected with the binding post 5 so that when either of the terminal contacts are engaged, the circuit will be completed through the instrument.

It will be apparent from the foregoing d etailed description that the present transmitter is a marked improvement on prior constructions, not only because of the elimination of parts which have heretofore been considered essential in an instrument of this character. but also through the incorporation of distinctively novel features notably among which is the fact that the vibrator is in the form ,of a long leaf spring carried directly upon and sup orted by the operating arm and on wliich leaf spring is mounted a supplemental spring carrying the contact 38.

The drawings show the invention in its preferred practical form, but inasmuch aS slight details may be modified without departing from the present invention, the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims. For example while I have shown the transmitter contact 33 as adapted for engagement with a contact 37 mounted on the operating arm or lever, thisV contact 37 might readily be mounted directly upon the vibrator 17. This as well as other similar details may be varied without departing from this invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A telegraphic instrument embodying a long leaf spring constituting a vibrator, a cushioning member mounted on and carried by said spring, and an electrical contact mounted on and carried by the cushioning member and positioned approximately midway of the length of the long leaf spring which constitutes the vibrator.

2. A telegraphic instrument embodying a vibrator in the form' of a long leaf spring, a shorter leaf spring mounted on land carried by the vibrator spring approximately midway of the length of the latter, and an electric contact mounted on and carried by the shorter leaf spring.

3. A telegraphicinstrument embodying a vibrator in the form of a long leaf spring provided approximately midway of its length with a perforation, an electrical contact extending through the perforation, and a shorter leaf spring secured to the contact and mounted on and carried by the vibrator leaf spring.

4. A telegraphic instrument embodyin an operating lever -mounted for pivota movement, a finger piece mounted on one end of the lever, a long leaf spring mounted on and extending from the other end of said lever and constituting a vibrator, a contact carried by the leaf spring approximately midway of the length of the latter, and a relatively fixed contact with which the contact of the leaf spring is adapted to` cooperate.

5. A telegra hic instrument embodying an operating ever mounted for pivotal movement, a vfinger piece mounted on one end of the lever, a leaf spring mounted-on and extending from the other endofjsaid lever, a relatively fixed contact, and a cooperating contact having a cushioned mounting on the leaf spring approximately midway of the length of the latter.

6. A telegraphic instrument embodying an operating ever mounted for pivotal movement, a finger piece for imparting such movement to the lever, a long leaf spring mounted on and extending from the lever and weighted at its free end, and an electrical contact mounted on the leaf spring and spaced midway between the lever and weight.

7. A telegra hic instrument embodyin an operating ever mounted for pivota movement, a finger piece mounted on one end of the lever, a vibrator leaf spring mounted on and extending from the other 'end of said lever, a; relatively fixed contact, a shorter cushioning leaf spring mountedv on the vibrator leaf spring and normally maintained in face abutting relation to the vib- -l 5 rator leaf spring by its own inherent resiliency, and a contact carried by the cushioning leaf spring and extending through an l Vopening in the vibrator leaf spring at a point substantially midway of the latter for cooperation with a relatively fixed contact. 10 In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

- JOHN J. GHEGAN. 

